Author Topic: 4 spd vs. 5 spd  (Read 8991 times)

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greekxj

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Reply #15 on: January 31, 2008, 02:45:37 pm
Thanks for the info Mike. So what have ya done to your bike in its 23K miles? Any major problems, rebuilds etc?

A lot of people talk about the space between 3rd and 4th...   yea, it's there. IF you've got the 18 tooth primary gear it puts the shift points closer to being convenient with todays speed limits. Otherwise you'll be wanting to up shift and then lugging in town...
The Dan Holmes bushing kit is an improvement.
THEY ARE NOT JAPCO AND WILL NEVER SHIFT LIKE ONE.
Having said that; after getting the clutch setup and adjusted correctly these things shift like a 1950's farm implement!!  Hell - that's part of the fun of it all. It's not really that bad and don't let the 4 speed scare you away from a good deal. It's not really a problem with the design or bike...   IT'S THE RIDER!!
              - Mike
                     2003 Bullet ES, 23,000 miles, 4 speed LH shift


greekxj

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Reply #16 on: January 31, 2008, 02:49:28 pm
The five speed is not perfect either. The big gap between first and second is weird. I'm 140 lbs and don't even need 1st on flt roads. But habit puts you there anyway, It must be for sidecar use, or offroad.

Thats interesting. Kinda like a semi truck pulling no load etc. I actually got my CDL license a month ago and we would take off in 2nd or 3rd since the truck had no load. It kinda has torque up the a$$ though lol. I know if my v star takes off in 2nd(experimentation only) its not happy lol. Then again 1st gear winds out at 32 mph at 7200 rpm's.  ;D


baird4444

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Reply #17 on: January 31, 2008, 04:40:17 pm
greekxj-  From new there is a lot of braking in to do...  you do the bike and it DOES you. The learning curve is large but these things are very forgiving. I had to relearn everything and simplify what I knew because these things are so simple. It took me a week to comprehend how to set the timing!!  I was used to timing cars so I thought there must be more to it....
You need to relearn your riding habits to just use the clutch when shifting...  not to be used at stop signals while in gear. The cable will quickly stretch a little loosing your clutch adjustment or causing your clutch to over heat and go away. I learned that one my 2nd day out.
    The first 4 years and 18,000 miles were pretty uneventful. The usual easier breathing exhaust and air filter plus a lot of changing around like different seats, and relocating the coil and battery. I only broke the throttle cable but went ahead and changed the front brake and clutch as I felt they were stretching to much with use.
    At just over 17,000 miles I had a major shifter problem. While investigating upon removal of the primary I found that the 18 tooth gear on the output shaft was loose. Thinking this may have been causing the chain to get into the LH shift bodge I was hopeful....   NO JOY.
   I then moved to the right side and found that a ratchet spring in the shifter caused the problem. $3.79 to CMW and I'm back in business.
    Back to the primary...  when reinstalling the alternator stator I found it to have a massive wobble making it almost impossible to center... called "Slam Dunkus" and he confirmed a bent output shaft...  I was CRUSHED!!  I don't really know how it happened but I have my theories. Anyway I put it back together and rode for another month and a half till winter hit. I made arrangements with SLAM; removed the motor and delivered it to him for the installation of a new output side of the crankshaft. While he had it he had a rod and bush from a new bike upgrade with only about 100 miles on them. I took the rod home and polished it then mailed it back to him. I also had him install new rings although he said mine were within the tolerances. I figured that it wasn't going to be tore down very often so I had him ring it as well. He said that the piston was fine.
    LOOOng story short- that was over 5,000 miles ago. The gasket that seals the jug and cases is blown...   the reason that I mention this is that I have been blowing A LOT of oil out the breather tube. I went thru a LOT of oil last year!!
 I have read that this can be caused when there is failure to keep negative pressure in the crankase....    or the rings haven't sealed correctly. It runs strong so I can't say but I am going to take it back to Rolla,MO for SLAM to replace the gasket and change the rings again if he deems it necessary.
   Back to the question; there is a lot of constant adjusting and "Fettling" to be done on these. This is what is called the "Bonding" stage and you will find it quite rewarding!
     - Mike
« Last Edit: January 31, 2008, 05:07:42 pm by baird4444 »
'My dear you are ugly,
 but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly'
 - Winston Churchill


greekxj

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Reply #18 on: February 01, 2008, 05:21:35 pm
Thanks Mike! I appreciate the detailed feedback. Thats the stuff i love reading. I can tell everyone on here are great people and totally into these bikes. I myself might have steered away from this bike if it wasn't for the support on here. At least i know that if i buy one i'll have plenty of answers when it comes time for help etc.

So what do ya think caused the bent output shaft? It also sounds like your motor was doing well. Besides the shaft being bent do you think you still had some miles left in it? Sounds like it was good.

Another quick newbie question, what is CMV? I here it often just not sure what it is.

Thanks!

greekxj-  From new there is a lot of braking in to do...  you do the bike and it DOES you. The learning curve is large but these things are very forgiving. I had to relearn everything and simplify what I knew because these things are so simple. It took me a week to comprehend how to set the timing!!  I was used to timing cars so I thought there must be more to it....
You need to relearn your riding habits to just use the clutch when shifting...  not to be used at stop signals while in gear. The cable will quickly stretch a little loosing your clutch adjustment or causing your clutch to over heat and go away. I learned that one my 2nd day out.
    The first 4 years and 18,000 miles were pretty uneventful. The usual easier breathing exhaust and air filter plus a lot of changing around like different seats, and relocating the coil and battery. I only broke the throttle cable but went ahead and changed the front brake and clutch as I felt they were stretching to much with use.
    At just over 17,000 miles I had a major shifter problem. While investigating upon removal of the primary I found that the 18 tooth gear on the output shaft was loose. Thinking this may have been causing the chain to get into the LH shift bodge I was hopeful....   NO JOY.
   I then moved to the right side and found that a ratchet spring in the shifter caused the problem. $3.79 to CMW and I'm back in business.
    Back to the primary...  when reinstalling the alternator stator I found it to have a massive wobble making it almost impossible to center... called "Slam Dunkus" and he confirmed a bent output shaft...  I was CRUSHED!!  I don't really know how it happened but I have my theories. Anyway I put it back together and rode for another month and a half till winter hit. I made arrangements with SLAM; removed the motor and delivered it to him for the installation of a new output side of the crankshaft. While he had it he had a rod and bush from a new bike upgrade with only about 100 miles on them. I took the rod home and polished it then mailed it back to him. I also had him install new rings although he said mine were within the tolerances. I figured that it wasn't going to be tore down very often so I had him ring it as well. He said that the piston was fine.
    LOOOng story short- that was over 5,000 miles ago. The gasket that seals the jug and cases is blown...   the reason that I mention this is that I have been blowing A LOT of oil out the breather tube. I went thru a LOT of oil last year!!
 I have read that this can be caused when there is failure to keep negative pressure in the crankase....    or the rings haven't sealed correctly. It runs strong so I can't say but I am going to take it back to Rolla,MO for SLAM to replace the gasket and change the rings again if he deems it necessary.
   Back to the question; there is a lot of constant adjusting and "Fettling" to be done on these. This is what is called the "Bonding" stage and you will find it quite rewarding!
     - Mike


deejay

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Reply #19 on: February 01, 2008, 06:13:57 pm


Another quick newbie question, what is CMV? I here it often just not sure what it is.

Thanks!

"CMW"... aka Classic Motor Works... Our Hosts and the importer of Royal Enfields to the USA ;D

Click "shop online" at the top of the page to see all the cool stuff they carry!


greekxj

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Reply #20 on: February 01, 2008, 06:15:49 pm
Thanks!



Another quick newbie question, what is CMV? I here it often just not sure what it is.

Thanks!

"CMW"... aka Classic Motor Works... Our Hosts and the importer of Royal Enfields to the USA ;D

Click "shop online" at the top of the page to see all the cool stuff they carry!


baird4444

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Reply #21 on: February 01, 2008, 09:53:30 pm
Thanks Mike! I appreciate the detailed feedback. Thats the stuff i love reading. So what do ya think caused the bent output shaft? It also sounds like your motor was doing well. Besides the shaft being bent do you think you still had some miles left in it? Sounds like it was good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think the bike came to me new with it bent. I have never seized up or or anything like that. This was just the first time I had the alt. off so it was the first time that I tried to center  it....  I've also got a slight wobble in my clutch basket....
  Still got some miles left in it??  Thats a silly question. Have you heard that these things only last 20,000 miles??  DON'T BELIEVE IT.  I've averaged just under
5,000 miles a year. I'm gonna put some xtra ones this year to see if I can hit 30,000!
The bearings,head, valves and guides were in great shape or he would have worked them as well. Bill "Slam" Dunkus is very thorough. I asked him about different fuel and gas additives and he told me
"Don't change a thing, do whatever you're doing".   
   I don't ride it hard, 62 to 65 indicated which is about 58 real world speed. Dan Holmes preached to me about the warm up and I am a believer...
    I just ride when ever I can - Mike
'My dear you are ugly,
 but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly'
 - Winston Churchill


greekxj

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Reply #22 on: February 01, 2008, 11:06:30 pm
Hey Mike, well i kinda just assumed as it seems like alot of people are doing rebuilds pretty early. I know i'll keep up on the maintenance and baby it, or shall i say keep it in the happy zone. I have my v star if i just wanna wind the hell out of something and open it up. I know that thing will buzz all day at high rpm's.   ;D I am at 29K on that and it runs better with every mile! Hopefully the enfield will do the same.   

Thanks Mike! I appreciate the detailed feedback. Thats the stuff i love reading. So what do ya think caused the bent output shaft? It also sounds like your motor was doing well. Besides the shaft being bent do you think you still had some miles left in it? Sounds like it was good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think the bike came to me new with it bent. I have never seized up or or anything like that. This was just the first time I had the alt. off so it was the first time that I tried to center  it....  I've also got a slight wobble in my clutch basket....
  Still got some miles left in it??  Thats a silly question. Have you heard that these things only last 20,000 miles??  DON'T BELIEVE IT.  I've averaged just under
5,000 miles a year. I'm gonna put some xtra ones this year to see if I can hit 30,000!
The bearings,head, valves and guides were in great shape or he would have worked them as well. Bill "Slam" Dunkus is very thorough. I asked him about different fuel and gas additives and he told me
"Don't change a thing, do whatever you're doing".   
   I don't ride it hard, 62 to 65 indicated which is about 58 real world speed. Dan Holmes preached to me about the warm up and I am a believer...
    I just ride when ever I can - Mike